If you're extra sensitive, you may already be feeling the effects of the planet Mercury's retrograde movement. The smallest and innermost planet Mercury actually is retrograde from November 16th to December 6th (more or less).

﻿This is your reminder not to blame everything on the retrograde. Instead, use the gifts offered to you at this time.

Three or so times a year Mercury GIFTS you - yes, you read that right! - gifts you with the opportunity to refocus and do things differently.

Typically, Mercury's influence affects you in your communication and transportation, and in the 21st century, communication and transportation RULE. So, Mercury has a bigger and stronger effect now, more than ever before in history.

Think about it. The internet and your many devices represent communication and transportation. All vehicles - planes, trains, and automobiles - transport how and when and where you receive goods and often services, and how much you are able to be mobile as well. You don't get very far without accurate and dependable communication and transportation these days.

SO HOW DO YOU MAKE FRIENDS WITH MERCURY’S RETROGRADE WHEN ITS INFLUENCE IS SO ENTWINED IN YOUR LIFE?

You roll with it. You have to keep on living. You can't stop and blame, BUT you can understand and plan and allow.

That means using your consciousness in its balance of masculine (planning) and feminine (allowing), rather than getting extra emotional (underdeveloped feminine) and over controlling (underdeveloped masculine) to take over during that time.

NEED SOME EXAMPLES? HERE'S SOME ASPECTS TO KNOW, REMEMBER, AND CONSIDER.

1) During a retrograde, it may FEEL AS IF communication and transportation have slowed down or even stopped. It's the pause that allows you to rethink, reevaluate, replan, realign, etc. USE IT! Accept Mercury's gift. DO NOT try and push through it. That's TOO MUCH masculine. Too pushy.

2) If your computer or another device - even your vehicle - becomes glitchy or even breaks down during a retrograde, it's telling you, you need to upgrade. Not DURING the retrograde, but soon enough afterward. The pause allows you to plan it, organize it, and work to make it happen soon.

3) If there are documents, contracts, or important emails you need to attend to during a retrograde, hang back. Mercury's influence means you won't see everything that's there. Facts may be omitted. Information may be confusing. The pause you take now allows you to reconsider, sit with it, feel it out, etc. USE the pause. Once Mercury goes direct again, THEN you're ready with full intention and drive.

4) If someone from your past pops back in during a retrograde, it doesn't mean anything more than they have popped back in. Maybe it's a former lover, a friend, a family member. It's not fate or the stars. It's not destiny or 'suppose to be'. It's Mercury's influence that says 'Hey remember me?’ These people pop back into your life, and YOU pop into other people's minds and lives during a retrograde as well. It's all related to communication and (energetic) transportation. Those who pop into your mind and life will likely pop back out again if you allow them too, rather than read more into it, or force it.

EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS -

Even if you have the best intentions this go-round, when Mercury readjusts and asks you to as well, sometimes you get caught in the emotional undertow before you know it.

If that happens to you, let’s talk. We can have a private one-on-one phone session for as short as 30 minutes (which can often make all the difference) or a series of 60-minute soul understanding and strategy building conversations to leverage your position and direction.

Just know you're not alone, and you can use Mercury's influence to pause, reevaluate, replan, and redo once Mercury goes direct again. THEN you'll say, "Thank you, Mercury." I promise.﻿